to revive Umóⁿhoⁿ language use by the children and people of our community by creating language experiences that allow our children to learn from our Elders and Culture Teachers;
to nurture the use of spoken Umóⁿhoⁿ through the teaching of cultural values and beliefs of our people;
to develop “hands-on” materials for life-experience language acquisition;
to use research-based methods of language instruction;
to develop and train Umóⁿhoⁿ speakers to teach others;
to develop speakers from a community of “Active Listeners” with the intent they become Teacher / Learners;
to promote the community-wide use of the existing standardized orthography (writing system); and
to secure the status of Umóⁿhoⁿ Language as a “World Language” at the Nebraska Department of Education.
Umóⁿhoⁿ Ushkóⁿ tʰe ‘The Umóⁿhoⁿ Way
Íthaikʰi, uthúdoⁿbai-a. (f)
Íthaikʰi, uthúdoⁿbai-ga. (m)
Speak Kindly. Be Careful what you say, use encouraging words that lift the spirit.
Ukʰíkoⁿi-a. (f)
Ukʰíkoⁿi-ga. (m)
Help one another. We are all related. Éwithai Wóⁿgithe. Help your relatives/friends if you see them having a hardtime.
Gigthíezhuba.
Respect One Another- Respect yourself. Show respect through good words and action. Listen to your family and wagóⁿze-ama. Do not point at people. Use humor and laugh together at funny situations but Do Not hurt a persons feeling intentionally. Your hands are for doing good work and for making good things. Learn when to humble yourself.
Wagáthe.
Share. Wagáthe, is the Umóⁿhoⁿ tradition of ‘Giveaway’ or sharing. A giveaway is practiced during community cultural gatherings or ‘doings’ and it is the act of giving to someone. It is a way to acknowledge the good intentions and practices of people.
Washkóⁿi-a. (f)
Washkóⁿi-ga. (m)
Do your best. Don’t give up, finish what you start.
